Digest

The Florida Atlantic University Police Department is investigating a student's allegation that she was raped by another student in a dormitory Saturday morning.

Investigators are trying to determine whether the same man assaulted another student on the campus a few weeks earlier.

Police arrested the man on drug and alcohol possession charges after searching his room, Chief Charles Lowe said. He was released on bail from the Palm Beach County Jail and put on interim suspension from the university.

The suspect is an acquaintance of the victim in the alleged rape, police said.

On Tuesday, the university put out a "timely notice" to students, alerting them to the allegation. The e-mail cautioned students against excessive drinking and walking alone at night.

South Florida

Pontiff's visit rare honor for Armenian Christians

For Arice and Lilia Gharakhanian, an opportunity to meet their pontiff, the spiritual leader of 7 million Armenian Christians, doesn't happen every day.

So the Tamarac couple and their two children, dressed in Sunday attire, drove on Tuesday to St. Mary Armenian Church in Hollywood, where His Holiness Karekin II presided over prayers and the blessing of three hand-carved stone crosses brought from Armenia.

Karekin II, patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church, ended his first visit to South Florida with a message to hold onto the faith, pray for peace and "keep this church vibrant with your presence and your prayers."

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most of the parishioners," said Arbo Zakaryan, who attended services for the pontiff held in Boca Raton on Monday.

Delray Beach

Police offer $5,000 reward for arrest in fatal shooting

Police have put up a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the killing of Demetrius Leroy Williams.

Williams, 29, of Deerfield Beach, was shot dead about 1 a.m. Saturday in the 900 block of Southwest Fourth Street in Delray Beach.

Williams was sitting in the back seat of a car when someone opened fire on the vehicle, striking him. Police said he had tried to break up a fight earlier at that address.

The fight included a small group of women and was quickly broken up when someone fired shots in the air. Williams and his group left the area but returned later, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Gene Sapino at 561-243-7800 or Crime Stoppers at 800-458-8477.

West Boca

Judge rejects doctor's bid for retrial on terror charge

A judge in New York has rejected the claims of a West Boca doctor that his conviction on terrorism charges should be tossed out because a jury improperly learned that a co-defendant had pleaded guilty.

U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska refused to grant a new trial for Dr. Rafiq Sabir, who was convicted in May of providing material support to terrorists by agreeing to treat injured al-Qaida fighters so they could return to Iraq to battle Americans.

Sabir had argued he was entitled to a new trial in part because a juror had looked on the Internet to learn the fate of his co-defendant and best friend, Tariq Shah, a martial arts expert and jazz musician.

The juror learned that Shah had pleaded guilty to charges in the case and told some fellow jurors.

A message for comment left with Sabir's attorney Tuesday was not immediately returned.

I-95 Update

The Florida Department of Transportation reports the following on Interstate 95:

Two lanes northbound from Sixth Avenue South to 10th Avenue North will be closed 10 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. through Friday morning.

The northbound exit ramp to Forest Hill Boulevard is closed for reconstruction until the end of October.

Two lanes in each direction at Congress Avenue will be closed 9 p.m to 5 a.m. through Friday morning.

The Congress Avenue overpass has been reduced to one lane in both directions through the end of 2008.

The inside lanes of the northbound and southbound exit ramps at Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard will be closed 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Saturday morning.